By Controlling Boundary Layer Patents (Class 244/204)
  • Patent number: 11933323
    Abstract: A subsea fluid pressure-increasing machine includes an elongated member that is rotatable about a longitudinal axis. The machine also may include a plurality of impellers each having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a suction side, and a chord line defined by a line between the leading and trailing edges. Each impeller is fixedly mounted to the member such that a chord angle defined by an angle between the chord line and the rotation direction is less than or equal to a stall angle at which a maximum force is exerted on a fluid in a direction primarily parallel to the longitudinal axis when the member is rotated in the rotation direction. At least some of the impellers comprise one or more features that effectively reduce a pressure peak or specific loading of the suction side such that the axial length of the impeller is configured to be reduced without exceeding a desired specific load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: OneSubsea IP UK Limited
    Inventor: Bernt-Helge Torkildsen
  • Patent number: 11840326
    Abstract: Methods for optimizing Boundary Layer Control (BLC) systems and related systems (e.g. a Laminar Flow Control (LFC) system or systems, a Static Pressure Thrust (SPT) system or systems, a Boundary Layer Ingestion (BLI)/Wake Immersed Propulsion (WIP) system or systems, and/or low-dissipation BLC fluid-movement system or systems) to operate in concert with each other and a bellows air-moving system are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Inventor: David Thomas Birkenstock
  • Patent number: 11685512
    Abstract: A lift-changing mechanism is configured to change generated by a wing of an aircraft and includes a slit and an opening and closing member. The slit extends in a wingspan direction inside the wing and forms openings on the lower surface of the wing and on the upper surface of the wing respectively. A part of airflow below the lower surface is allowed to flow toward the upper surface through the slit. The opening and closing member is configured to open and close the slit. When the opening and closing member opens the slit, lift generated on the wing is decreased compared with when the slit is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru Kobayashi, Hirotaka Hayashi, Mizuki Nakamura, Masafumi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11565795
    Abstract: A vertical tail unit (7) for flow control including: an outer skin (13) in contact with an ambient air flow (21), wherein the outer skin (13) extends between a leading edge (23) and a trailing edge (25), and surrounds an interior space (29), and wherein the outer skin (13) includes a porous section (31) in the area of the leading edge (23), a pressure chamber (15) arranged in the interior space (29), wherein the pressure chamber (15) is fluidly connected to the porous section (31), an air inlet (17) provided in the outer skin (13), wherein the air inlet (17) is fluidly connected to the pressure chamber (15), wherein the air outlet (19) is fluidly connected to the pressure chamber (15). The vertical tail unit (7) has reduced drag and an increased efficiency because the air inlet (17) is formed as an opening (35) in the outer skin (13) at the leading edge (23).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Heuer
  • Patent number: 11548621
    Abstract: An aircraft airfoil having an internal thrust unit and an aircraft having the same are provided. The airfoil includes a skin structure having a lower surface extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge of the airfoil over which air flows during forward flight. A thrust system is connected to the skin structure and includes a thrust unit generating an airflow that is at least partially expelled through an outlet in the lower surface of the skin structure. At least one outlet cover is connected to the skin structure and movable between a forward flight position, in which the at least one outlet cover is configured to deflect the airflow in an at least partially rearward direction, and a vertical flight position, in which the at least one outlet cover is substantially clear of the airflow which is directed in an at least partially downward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Horizon Aircraft Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Brian Robinson, Eric Brandon Robinson
  • Patent number: 11286042
    Abstract: Variably porous panels and panel assemblies incorporating shape memory alloy components along with methods for actuating the shape memory alloys are disclosed to predictably alter the porosity of a substrate surface, with the shape memory alloy maintained in an orientation relative to the panel that is in-plane with a mold-line of the panel outer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Frederick Theodore Calkins, Douglas E. Nicholson, Jordan Kreitzman
  • Patent number: 11268550
    Abstract: A method of controlling a fluid flow using momentum and/or vorticity injections. Actively controlling an actuator allows for direct, precise, and independent control of the momentum and swirl entering into the fluid system. The perturbations are added to the flow field in a systematic mater providing tunable control input, thereby modifying behavior thereof in a predictable manner to improve the flow characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: The Florida State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Kunihiko Taira, Farrukh Alvi, Phillip Munday
  • Patent number: 11208202
    Abstract: A flow body of an aircraft includes: a flow surface exposed to an airstream during flight of the aircraft, the flow surface generating at least one region of turbulent airflow during flight of the aircraft, at least one perforated area including a plurality of openings extending through the flow surface, a manifold positioned interior to the flow surface in fluid communication with the openings, and at least one suction duct having a first end and a second end, the first end being in fluid communication with the manifold, the second end including a suction opening and being arranged in the at least one region of turbulent airflow, wherein the suction opening is adapted for inducing a suction force in the at least one suction duct when the flow surface is exposed to an airstream during flight, thereby inducing a flow of air from through the plurality of openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Inventor: Peter Kreuzer
  • Patent number: 11142302
    Abstract: An active flow control system for generating yaw control moments for an aircraft during forward flight. The system includes right and left yaw effectors disposed proximate the right and left wingtips of the wing. A pressurized air system includes a pressurized air source and a plurality of injectors operably associated with the right and left yaw effectors that influence the path of airflow above and below the yaw effectors. Based upon which of the injectors is injecting pressurized air, the right and left yaw effectors generate no yaw control moment, generate a yaw right control moment or generate a yaw left control moment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Bryan Robertson, Kirk Landon Groninga, Matthew Edward Louis
  • Patent number: 10974817
    Abstract: A vertical tail unit (7) for flow control including: an outer skin (13) in contact with an ambient air flow (21), wherein the outer skin (13) extends between a leading edge (23) and a trailing edge (25), and surrounds an interior space (29), and wherein the outer skin (13) includes a porous section (31) in the area of the leading edge (23), a pressure chamber (15) arranged in the interior space (29), wherein the pressure chamber (15) is fluidly connected to the porous section (31), an air inlet (17) provided in the outer skin (13), wherein the air inlet (17) is fluidly connected to the pressure chamber (15), wherein the air outlet (19) is fluidly connected to the pressure chamber (15). The vertical tail unit (7) has reduced drag and an increased efficiency because the air inlet (17) is formed as an opening (35) in the outer skin (13) at the leading edge (23).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Heuer
  • Patent number: 10967955
    Abstract: A vertical tail unit (7) including an outer skin (13) in contact with an ambient air flow (21), wherein the outer skin (13) extends between a leading edge (23) and a trailing edge (25) with opposite lateral sides (27a, 27b), and surrounds an interior space (29), and wherein the outer skin (13) has a porous section at the leading edge (23), a pressure chamber (15) arranged in the interior space (29), wherein the pressure chamber (15) is fluidly connected to the porous section (31), an air inlet (17) provided in the outer skin (13) and fluidly connected to the pressure chamber (15), and an air outlet (19) provided in the outer skin (13) and fluidly connected to the pressure chamber (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Heuer
  • Patent number: 10933976
    Abstract: A leading edge high-lift device, that may be deployable from a wing of an aircraft, may include a leading edge and a trailing edge. A lower surface and an upper surface may both extend between the leading edge and the trailing edge. A trailing edge region may be defined by the trailing edge and an adjacent region thereto. A shaping device may be disposed at the trailing edge region and may be movable between a non-activated position and an activated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Ronald Tatsuji Kawai, Daniel Michael Tompkins, Robert Hauschild Liebeck, Kevin Robert Elmer, Eric David Dickey
  • Patent number: 10928839
    Abstract: A system and method for regulating and actuating bleed over a structure exposed in a fluid motion are disclosed. The bleed inlet and outlet are formed on the surface of the structure establishing fluidic communication across surfaces. The disclosed system and method contemplates active control and regulation of the bleed to modify crossflow properties such as, aerodynamic forces, hydrodynamic forces, vorticity, and moments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Ari Glezer, John M. Kearney
  • Patent number: 10737796
    Abstract: A propulsion assembly for an aircraft, the assembly including a turbojet having at least one unducted propulsive propeller, and an attachment pylon for attaching the turbojet to a structural element of the aircraft, the pylon being positioned on the turbojet upstream from the propeller and having a streamlined profile defined by two opposite side faces extending transversely between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The pylon includes a plurality of blow nozzles situated in the vicinity of its trailing edge and configured to blow air taken from a pressurized portion of the turbojet, the blow nozzles being positioned over at least a fraction of the trailing edge of the pylon that extends longitudinally facing at least a portion of the propeller. A method of reducing the noise generated by a pylon attaching a turbojet to an aircraft is presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Mathieu Simon Paul Gruber, Timothy Delteil McWilliams
  • Patent number: 10730606
    Abstract: The present set of embodiments relate to systems, methods, and apparatuses for airfoil systems designed for aircraft or other craft. More specifically, the present disclosure includes various embodiments of airfoils that include fixed or adjustable louvers that allow the airfoil to adapt to various conditions including angle or attack and airspeed. Such airfoil systems increase the dynamic range or airfoils by maximizing lift or minimizing drag depending on the conditional requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Inventor: Josh Waite
  • Patent number: 10495121
    Abstract: A method and a device for measuring a fluid flow characteristic of an ambient fluid and modifying fluid flow of the ambient fluid, the method including: applying a first voltage between a first electrode and a second electrode, the first voltage being sufficient to generate a plasma in the first space; applying a second voltage between the first electrode and a third electrode, the second voltage being sufficient to generate a plasma in the second space; measuring a first current between the first and second electrodes, and a second current between the first and third electrodes; determining a fluid flow characteristic of the ambient fluid; and applying a third voltage between the first and second electrodes, the third voltage being sufficient to generate a plasma in the first space sufficient to modify fluid flow of the ambient fluid in the first direction in the first space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Sylvia Joan Smullin, Cyrus Behroozi, Dominico P. Julian
  • Patent number: 10486793
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a first deflector configured to couple to a shaft of a wing of an aircraft and form part of a top surface of the wing when in a first closed position, and a second deflector configured to couple to the shaft and form part of a bottom surface of the wing when in a second closed position. The first deflector and the second deflector may be configured to be positioned proximate to the tip of the wing. The first deflector and the second deflector may be configured to simultaneously pivot from the closed positions to respective first and second open positions upon actuation of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth Merle Dorsett, Robert Carl Storrie
  • Patent number: 10472052
    Abstract: An aircraft flow body includes a flow surface exposed to an airstream during flight, at least one structural component attached to an interior of the flow surface, at least one perforated area having a plurality of openings extending through the flow surface, a manifold positioned interior to the flow surface in fluid communication with the openings and upstream of the at least one structural component, and at least one suction duct having a first end in communication with the manifold and a second end placed exterior to the flow surface downstream of the structural component. The at least one suction duct includes a suction opening facing away from the first end and adapted for inducing a suction force into the at least one suction duct when the flow surface is exposed to the airstream during flight, thereby inducing a flow of air from through the openings to the suction opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventor: Gerd Heller
  • Patent number: 10443563
    Abstract: A vortex generator for a wind turbine blade includes a fin protruding from a surface of the wind turbine blade, being oriented so that a fin chord of the fin is oblique to an in-flow direction of wind which flows toward the wind turbine blade, having a suction surface which faces toward downstream with respect to the in-flow direction of the wind and which has a curved convex shape, and having a maximum fin blade-thickness ratio tmax/C which satisfies an expression of 0.10?tmax/C?0.12 in a height range of at least a part of the fin, where the maximum fin blade-thickness ratio tmax/C is a ratio of a maximum fin blade thickness tmax to a fin chord length C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Koji Fukami
  • Patent number: 10399665
    Abstract: Sounds are generated by an aerial vehicle during operation. For example, the motors and propellers of an aerial vehicle generate sounds during operation. Disclosed are systems, methods, and apparatus for actively adjusting the position of one or more propeller blade treatments of a propeller blade of an aerial vehicle during operation of the aerial vehicle. For example, the propeller blade may have one or more propeller blade treatments that may be adjusted between two or more positions. Based on the position of the propeller blade treatments, the airflow over the propeller is altered, thereby altering the sound generated by the propeller when rotating. By altering the propeller blade treatments on multiple propeller blades of the aerial vehicle, the different sounds generated by the different propeller blades may effectively cancel, reduce, and/or otherwise alter the total sound generated by the aerial vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian C. Beckman, Gur Kimchi, Allan Ko
  • Patent number: 10337493
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of adaptively adjusting lift and drag on an airfoil-shaped sail. The method includes: (1) mounting at least one airfoil-shaped sail body having an airfoil-shaped cross section; (2) defining a Y-shaped air jet channel in the airfoil-shaped sail body; (3) arranging a flow regulating gate in the Y-shaped air jet channel; (4) adjusting the flow regulating gate to automatically adjust the gate opening extent and the cross section opening or closing extent in response to an oncoming flow with a varying direction and speed, to regulate the airflow within the air jet channel and accordingly change the angle of attack, so that the lift and drag on the sail body can be automatically adjusted as the wind speed changes. Further disclosed are an airfoil-shaped sail implementing the above method as well as a vertical-axis wind turbine employing the airfoil-shaped sail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: DONGGUAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Baiman Chen, Guanfeng Qin, Yongjun Xu, Minlin Yang
  • Patent number: 10315754
    Abstract: Fluid systems are described herein. An example embodiment of a fluid system has a lengthwise axis, a chord length, a first body portion, a second body portion, a spacer, and a fluid pressurizer. The first body portion and the second body portion cooperatively define an injection opening, a suction opening, and a channel that extends from the injection opening to the suction opening. The fluid pressurizer is disposed within the channel cooperatively defined by the first body portion and the second body portion. The first body portion defines a cavity that is sized and configured to filter debris that enters the channel during use and provide a mechanism for removing the debris from the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Coflow Jet, LLC
    Inventor: Gecheng Zha
  • Patent number: 10196129
    Abstract: Two element aerofoils are provided, having an aerofoil chord, a primary element having a first leading edge and a first trailing edge, a secondary element having a second leading edge and a second trailing edge, a gap between the primary element and the secondary element, and an axial overlap between the first trailing edge and the second leading edge. The secondary element is deflectable with respect to the primary element about a fixed hinge point by a flap deflection angle. The secondary element is configured to operate in airbrake mode when deflected by a respective the flap deflection angle corresponding to a design airbrake deflection angle wherein to generate an airbrake drag. In at least some examples, the axial overlap is numerically greater than ?0.5% of the aerofoil chord, at least for the design airbrake deflection angle. Also disclosed are methods for operating air vehicles, and methods for designing two-element aerofoils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: ISRAEL AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventors: Michael Shepshelovich, Danny Abramov
  • Patent number: 9964506
    Abstract: A sensor system for determining a moisture content of a fluid medium flowing in a main flow direction, e.g., an intake air of an internal combustion engine, includes: a sensor housing; at least one moisture sensor situated in the sensor housing for determining the moisture content of the fluid medium; at least one retaining element at least partially permeable to moisture; an inlet opening for channeling moisture into the sensor housing and to the moisture sensor; and at least one outlet opening situated separately from the inlet opening and channeling moisture from the sensor housing into the flowing fluid medium. The retaining element is situated in the sensor housing in such a way that the moisture sensor is acted upon by the moisture via the inlet opening and the retaining element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Kaufmann, Ulrich Wagner, Lukas Hagmanns, Achim Briese
  • Patent number: 9896191
    Abstract: A jet aircraft includes an aircraft integrated, fluid vectoring, exhaust nozzle system. Implementation of this disclosure may eliminate or reduce the size of the aircraft vertical stabilizer and rudder assembly, thereby potentially improving aircraft survivability and increasing aircraft thrust-to-weight ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Von D. Baker
  • Patent number: 9815545
    Abstract: An aerodynamic lifting system for a VTOL aircraft is provided that includes a lifting structure defining a leading edge portion, a trailing edge portion, an upper surface extending between the leading edge portion and the trailing edge portion, and a lower surface extending between the leading edge portion and the trailing edge portion. A plurality of leading edge and trailing edge movable flaps, along with leading edge openings and trailing edge openings are employed to direct a flow of air, including along an upper surface of the lifting structure. During transition from a VTOL stage to forward flight, when a first leading edge movable flap is in a closed position, a net forward thrust is provided by the flow of air at the leading edge portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: STEERING FINANCIAL LTD.
    Inventor: David Steer
  • Patent number: 9751290
    Abstract: A device and to a method for the production of essentially two-dimensionally arched large-area structural components from a fiber composite material, including a jig having a convex mounting surface which has longitudinally extending receiving channels for the insertion of construction components and which can be loaded with auxiliary materials, wherein the loaded jig interacts with a laminating bonding device having a corresponding shape for forming the structural component under pressure, wherein the jig includes a mounting shell that at the edge can be elastically deformed inwards, which mounting shell, by way of a plurality of actuators that are articulated to the inside, can be moved between an extended position (A) and at least one retracted position (B) in which the jig can be moved relative to the longitudinally extending receiving channels from the laminating bonding device without undercuts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Georg Lonsdorfer, Remo Hinz, Adrian Wachendorf, Niels Deschauer, Adam Andrä
  • Patent number: 9493233
    Abstract: A cavity system that tends to increase the thickness (28) of the shear layer (22), comprising: a cavity (2) and a plurality of rods (4), for example between two and six rods; the rods (4) are positioned in the proximity of a leading edge (14) of the cavity (2) and extending across at least a part of a width of the cavity (2) in a perpendicular or oblique angle to the actual or intended flow direction (6). One or more of the rods (4) may be positioned further along the flow direction (6) compared to one or more of the other rods (4), for example to provide a zig-zag pattern of rod positions. One or more flow alteration elements (34, 38), for example channels (34) passing through the rods (4) and/or protrusions (38) extending from the rods (4), may be provided on one or more of the rods (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: BAE Systems plc
    Inventor: David Euan Patience
  • Patent number: 9487288
    Abstract: Systems and methods for secondary suctioning for an aerodynamic body are presented. A primary surface is configured along a leading edge of an aerodynamic body, and at least one secondary suction device comprising an elongated shape is configured at least a first distance from the primary surface. A non-suction surface is configured between the primary surface and the at least one secondary suction device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Peter L. Rupp, Pradip G. Parikh, Lian L. Ng, Paul M. Vijgen
  • Patent number: 9422954
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an active roughness actuator and a method of forming an active roughness actuator. The active roughness actuator includes a surface having at least one aperture; a compliant layer disposed on the surface such that the compliant layer covers the at least one aperture; a chamber having a fluid therein and a piezoelectric surface mechanically coupled to the chamber. The chamber is in fluid communication with the compliant layer via the at least one aperture. The piezoelectric surface is configured to displace the fluid in the chamber to control production of at least one dimple in the compliant layer proximate to the at least one aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Tyler Van Buren, Michael Amitay
  • Patent number: 9272773
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods to operate laminar flow control system doors are described. One described example apparatus includes an outboard structure of an aircraft, a first door assembly on a first side of the outboard structure having a first door defining a first opening and a second door assembly on a second side of the outboard structure having a second door defining a second opening. The example apparatus also includes a perforated surface proximate a leading edge of the outboard structure and an actuator disposed in the aircraft. The actuator drives first and second linkages that couple the first and second doors to the actuator. The first and second linkages are to operate the first and second doors, respectively, in an open mode in which the first and second openings create an airflow path between the perforated surface and the first and second openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventor: Rick A. Biedscheid
  • Patent number: 9193444
    Abstract: A lift arrangement for an aircraft includes an aircraft fuselage section with an outside, an aerodynamic lift body attached to the aircraft fuselage section and extending from the aircraft fuselage section outwardly, and a pair of movably held add-on bodies arranged upstream of a leading edge of the aerodynamic lift body. The add-on bodies include an aerodynamically effective surface and are equipped with incoming airflow to generate vortices that impinge on the aerodynamic lift body, thus leading to an increase in lift on the aerodynamic lift body. Thus the lift generation on a lift body is effectively influenced, in particular to compensate for loss of lift as a result of icing. The add-on bodies are moveable, and, can be moved to a neutral position in which they do not project into the flow around the aircraft, and are thus not effective from the point of view of fluid dynamics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Carsten Weber, Markus Fischer, Arne Grote, Rolf Radespiel, Martin Dreyer
  • Patent number: 9027702
    Abstract: A synthetic jet muffler includes an exit end, a propagation path for conducting a first sound wave emitted by a synthetic jet generator to the exit end, and a shroud for conducting a second sound wave emitted from the synthetic jet generator in a direction opposite to the first sound wave to the exit end, wherein the shroud is disposed so that the first and second sound waves travel different distances to effect noise cancellation at the exit end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Steven F. Griffin
  • Patent number: 9016632
    Abstract: A method and system are provided to weaken shock wave strength at leading edge surfaces of a vehicle in atmospheric flight. One or more flight-related attribute sensed along a vehicle's outer mold line are used to control the injection of a non-heated, non-plasma-producing gas into a local external flowfield of the vehicle from at least one leading-edge surface location along the vehicle's outer mold line. Pressure and/or mass flow rate of the gas so-injected is adjusted in order to cause a Rankine-Hugoniot Jump Condition along the vehicle's outer mold line to be violated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Endwell O. Daso, Victor E. Pritchett, II, Ten-See Wang, Rebecca Ann Farr, Aaron Howard Auslender, Isaiah M. Blankson, Kenneth J. Plotkin
  • Patent number: 8939410
    Abstract: An apparatus delays the transition of a boundary layer flow from laminar to turbulent. Flow disruptors are positioned to be in contact with a boundary layer flow moving in a flow direction over a surface. Each flow disruptor generates fluctuations in the boundary layer flow such that the frequency of the fluctuations is a damping region frequency defined by an amplification rate curve associated with the boundary layer flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Inventor: Reginald J Exton
  • Patent number: 8894019
    Abstract: A system for controlling unwanted flow separation. One or more microjets are placed to feed auxiliary fluid into a region of suspected flow separation on a surface. If the separation is intermittent, sensors can be employed to detect its onset. Once separation is developing, the microjets are activated to inject a stream of high-velocity gas in a direction that is transverse to the prevailing flow. This injected stream forms counter-rotating vortices in the prevailing flow and thereby transfers momentum from the prevailing flow into the boundary layer proximate the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Florida State University Office of Commercialization
    Inventor: Farrukh S. Alvi
  • Patent number: 8882049
    Abstract: An airfoil system includes an airfoil body and at least one flexible strip. The airfoil body has a top surface and a bottom surface, a chord length, a span, and a maximum thickness. Each flexible strip is attached along at least one edge thereof to either the top or bottom surface of the airfoil body. The flexible strip has a spanwise length that is a function of the airfoil body's span, a chordwise width that is a function of the airfoil body's chord length, and a thickness that is a function of the airfoil body's maximum thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Qamar A. Shams, Tianshu Liu
  • Patent number: 8827211
    Abstract: Systems, equipment, and methods to deposit energy to modify and control air flow, lift, and drag, in relation to air vehicles, and methods for seeding flow instabilities at the leading edges of control surfaces, primarily through shockwave generation through deposition of laser energy at a distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Inventor: Kevin Kremeyer
  • Publication number: 20140233769
    Abstract: The invention relates to a diaphragm arrangement which is intended to be fitted to a structural component or fixing ring for the purpose of generating sound, having two piezo crystals which are fitted opposite one another on either side of an electrically conductive diaphragm which can oscillate, wherein the piezo crystals are each fastened to the diaphragm, which has a connection contact, in an electrically conductive and force-transmitting manner, and the piezo crystals are each electrically conductively connected to a contact plate on their opposite side. In this case, each contact plate has at least one contact strip which extends in the direction of the structural component and of which the end in each case has an electrical connection contact. The diaphragm arrangement can be excited by electrical voltages which can be applied to the three connection contacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Inventor: Stefan Storm
  • Patent number: 8783337
    Abstract: A system and method for producing surface deformations on a surface of a body. The system and method relate to changing the convective heat transfer coefficient for a surface. The system includes a first surface being a surface of a body exposed to a fluid flow and at least one actuator affecting deformation of the first surface. The system also includes a control system providing control commands to the at least one actuator, the control commands configured to change deformations on the first surface in order to change the convective heat transfer coefficient of the first surface. Further, the system includes a sensor providing environmental characteristic information to the control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Alistair K. Chan, Clarence T. Tegreene
  • Patent number: 8746624
    Abstract: An airfoil boundary layer control system may be provided. The airfoil boundary layer control system may include at least one airfoil that may include a first surface and a second surface coupled together at a leading edge and a trailing edge; at least one hollow chamber defined within the at least one airfoil; and an aperture defined in the airfoil and positioned substantially near the trailing edge, the aperture coupled in flow communication with the at least one hollow chamber; a pressure source coupled in flow communication with the at least one hollow chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Inventor: David Birkenstock
  • Patent number: 8702042
    Abstract: A flow body is disclosed, particularly for aircraft. The flow body includes an outer side impinged on in a predetermined manner by a fluid in a direction of impinging flow, the flow body having on its outer side at least one flow control device including micro-perforations arranged in at least one segment of the outer side, at least one connecting passage communicated with the micro-perforations via at least one suction chamber so fluid flowing through the micro-perforations flows via the suction chamber into the connecting passage, at least one suction device having a first inlet communicated with the connecting passage, a second inlet communicated with at least one ram fluid feed line, wherein the ram fluid feed line is in a region of the flow body opposite to the direction of impinging flow of the flow body, and an outlet device for discharging the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Gerber, Geza Schrauf
  • Publication number: 20140061387
    Abstract: A surface element, e.g. a wing, of an aircraft includes a leading edge, a high lift device arrangement positioned along the leading edge and at least one add-on body positioned in a leading edge region, wherein the high lift device arrangement is interrupted in the region of at least one add-on body for preventing collision with the add-on body and wherein the surface element includes an arrangement of openings in a region covering the add-on body, which openings are connected to an air conveying device for conveying air through the openings. Thereby an additional flap for harmonizing the flow above a pylon or other add-on body can be eliminated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
    Inventor: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
  • Patent number: 8657237
    Abstract: A flying object which moves with a transonic or supersonic velocity is disclosed. The inventive flying object comprises a main body, a streaming element and a holding element. The holding element holds the streaming element distant from the main body. The streaming element is permeable for the airstream. For one embodiment the streaming element is built with a porous material. The streaming element has an outer surface with the shape of a cone or a truncated cone. The holding element holds the streaming element in an orientation with the cone opening towards the airstream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft-und Raumfahrt E.V.
    Inventor: Erich Schulein
  • Patent number: 8640986
    Abstract: An aircraft turbojet nacelle comprising blowing means intended to inject a tangential airflow (Ft) into the internal volume (V) of the nacelle, said blowing means being provided in a wall of the air intake of the nacelle in the supersonic area of said air intake. The invention also concerns a method for controlling separation in an aircraft nacelle, wherein a tangential airflow is injected (Ft) into the internal volume (V) of the nacelle in the locally supersonic area of the air intake so as to pull the main airflow (F) into the extension of the inner wall of the nacelle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Thierry Surply, Christophe Bourdeau
  • Patent number: 8632031
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing the trailing vortices and lowering the noise produced by the side edges of aircraft flight control surfaces, tips of wings and winglets, and tips of rotor blades. A noise-reducing, wake-alleviating device is disclosed which incorporates an actuator and one or more air-ejecting slot-shaped openings coupled to that actuator and located on the upper and/or lower surfaces and/or the side edges of an aircraft flight control surface or the tip of a wing, winglet or blade. The actuation mechanism produces sets of small and fast-moving air jets that traverse the openings in the general streamwise direction. The actuation destabilizes the flap vortex structure, resulting in reduced intensity of trailing vortices and lower airplane noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Arvin Shmilovich, Abdollah Khodadoust
  • Patent number: 8616494
    Abstract: The invention relates to a vortex generator (10), in particular for a model (12) in a fluid-dynamic channel. In order to save time during the development of vehicles, in particular aircraft, in particular to save wind tunnel time, it is suggested to configure the vortex generator (10) switchable. Further, the invention relates to various uses of such a switchable vortex generator (10), in particular on models in fluid-dynamic channels and in fluid-dynamic channel tests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus-Peter Neitzke, Karin Bauer, Christian Bolzmacher, Winfried Kupke
  • Patent number: 8602361
    Abstract: A method of monitoring the performance of an aerodynamic surface of an aircraft. The aircraft is operated during a non-perturbed measurement period such that the flow of air over the surface is at least partially laminar. A parameter is measured which is indicative of the drag of the surface during the non-perturbed measurement period to provide non-perturbed drag data. Air flow is perturbed temporarily over the surface in a perturbed measurement period so that it undergoes a transition from laminar flow to turbulent flow. The parameter is also measured during the perturbed measurement period to provide perturbed drag data. The degree of laminar flow during the non-perturbed measurement period can then be estimated in accordance with the difference between the perturbed drag data and the non-perturbed drag data. An ice protection system can be used to perturb the air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations Limited
    Inventor: Norman Wood
  • Patent number: 8596585
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to an aerodynamic body with an extension in the spanwise direction, wing chord direction and wing thickness direction for coupling to a wing of an aircraft. This aerodynamic body can here be used for a leading edge flap or slat of an aircraft wing. To improve the flow characteristics, the rear side of the aerodynamic body is provided with a skin section that can be molded between a convex curvature and concave curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Tamas Havar, Oliver Meyer, York C. Roth, Oliver Seack
  • Patent number: 8538738
    Abstract: A prediction of whether a point on a computer-generated surface is adjacent to laminar or turbulent flow is made using a transition prediction technique. A plurality of boundary-layer properties at the point are obtained from a steady-state solution of a fluid flow in a region adjacent to the point. A plurality of instability modes are obtained, each defined by one or more mode parameters. A vector of regressor weights is obtained for the known instability growth rates in a training dataset. For each instability mode in the plurality of instability modes, a covariance vector is determined, which is the covariance of a predicted local growth rate with the known instability growth rates. Each covariance vector is used with the vector of regressor weights to determine a predicted local growth rate at the point. Based on the predicted local growth rates, an n-factor envelope at the point is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Aerion Corporation
    Inventors: Dev Rajnarayan, Peter Sturdza